Alice Sufit (1918-2012) was a local activist and teacher. Active in several local civic and political affairs, Sufit played
integral roles on many councils, committees, and boards for Arlington County. Additionally, she completed much of her work
as a longstanding member of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters. Sufit most often fought to improve education,
voting rights, and women's rights in Arlington and Virginia.
Sufit was born Alice Rotzch in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, on September 28, 1918. She attended the University of Pittsburgh
and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1939. She enlisted in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) in the United
States Naval Reserve as a lieutenant during World War II and served from 1943-1948 and worked in the Naval Research Laboratory.
During this time, she met her husband Herb Sufit. The two married in 1948 and moved to Arlington.
A few years after moving to Arlington, Sufit joined the Arlington League of Women Voters. She chaired several local and state-level
study committees, lobbied politicians, and held board positions. She filled many leadership roles, including Vice President
in 1958, President from 1960-1961, and Co-President from 1997-1999. She also became part of the League of Women Voters of
Virginia State Board in the 1970s and worked hard to revise the "Your Virginia Government" publication. Her additional civic
work included membership with the American Association of University Women, including acting as President from 1989-1992.
She served on the Arlington County Planning Commission in 1962 and the Commission on the Status of Women. During her tenure
on the Commission on the Status of Women, she helped conduct an exhaustive study on discrimination practices against women
in Arlington in schools, government, business, and banking. This report led to the permanent establishment of the Commission
on the Status of Women in the county. She was award Arlington County's "Person of Vision" award in 1998 to commemorate her
outstanding civic career.
Sufit earned two graduate degrees (M.A. and M. Phil) from George Washington University in political science and education.
In 1961, she began a twenty-year career as a social studies teacher in the Arlington County Public Schools, where she taught
at Wakefield High School. After retirement, Sufit served on the school system's social studies advisory committee and the
six-year planning committee.
This collection spans just over two linear feet. Though materials date from 1920-2009, only one item dates from 1920. All
other materials span from the 1950s to 2009, with the bulk of materials from the 1990s and 2000s. The materials largely constitute
the records Sufit accrued during her career with the League of Women Voters, especially during the 1980s-2000s. Most of these
materials are from research she conducted into various issues the League tackled (i.e. campaign reform, redistricting, etc.),
though there are also bulletins, speeches Sufit gave, and other League of Women Voters operational materials. The collection
contains some documents and publications Sufit acquired serving on county boards and commissions, such as the Planning Commission
and the Commission on the Status of Women. There are a few materials from classes Sufit taught and took and some publications
from Rock Spring Congregational Church.
This collection is divided into six series based on subject manner. When possible, original file names have been preserved
in quotes (" ") and additions to titles from the archivist have been included in brackets ([ ]) where clarification was needed.
Series 1 contains the materials Sufit accrued as part of the League of Women Voters. Most appear to be from her involvement with the
local Arlington branch, but there are other materials from the Virginia state chapter. This series is divided into several
subseries, including Bulletins and Newsletters; League of Women Voters of Arlington Operations; Personal Materials (developed
around a file Sufit labeled as "Personal Materials"); and Studies and Initiatives.
Series 2 houses the materials Sufit acquired from Arlington County. Most of these are related to city planning and research Sufit
completed on the history and demographics of Arlington. Series 3 contains Sufit's materials related to teaching and education, including a few classes she took and her papers from the Social
Studies Advisory Committee. Series 4 holds her papers related to various women's rights and women's history initiatives. Series 5 contains assorted papers and research materials related to politics. Finally, Series 6 has various publications from the Rock Spring Congregational Church.
File 8: League of Women Voters of Arlington Bulletins,
2007-2008
Box 1
File 9: The Virginia Voter Newsletter,
1968 , 1986 , 2002
Box 1
File 10: LWV National Voter Bulletin and Clippings on Political Issues,
1992 , 2004-2009
Box 1
File 11: Assorted League of Women Voters Pamphlets,
1920 , 1985 , 1997 , 2006
, n.d.
Subseries 2: League of Women Voters of Arlington Operations
Box 2
File 1: League of Women Voters of Arlington Membership and President Lists, 1944-1989,"
1989
Box 2
File 2: League of Women Voters of Arlington Annual Meetings,
2004 , 2006 , 2008
Box 2
File 3: "League of Women Voters Scholarship Committee, 2001 + 2002,"
2000-2002
Box 2
File 4: "Arlington League of Women Voters Stationery," n.d.
Box 2
File 5: Clippings, Arlington League of Women Voters, 1
1996 , 2001
Box 2
File 6: League of Women Voters of Arlington 40th Anniversary Photograph,
1984
Box 2
File 7: "Virginia League of Women Voters 99-2000-01" Handbook, History, Delegate Workbook, Election Reform Articles,
1995 , 1999-2001
Subseries 3: Personal Materials
Box 2
File 1: "Personal League Stuff," including bulletins, speeches, correspondence, research, and convention materials,
1963 , 1977 , 1997-1999
Box 2
File 2: "Alice Sufit Speech 8/26/97 to Federal Employees at Dulles Airport," on 150th Anniversary of First Women's Rights Convention,
1997
Box 2
File 3: League of Women Voters Honorable Life Member and Past President Ribbon, n.d.
Box 2
File 4: Miscellaneous Notes and Correspondence,
1997
, n.d.
Subseries 4: Studies and Initiatives
Box 2
File 1: League of Women Voters of Virginia Study Guidelines,
1990 , 1991 , 1995
Box 2
File 2: "League of Women Voters Citizen Advisory Group Study,"
1995-1997
Box 2
File 3: "League of Women Voters of Virginia Materials for Local [Delegation of] Powers State Study, December 1990,"
1987-1991
Box 2
File 4: League of Women Voters Redistricting Documents and League of Women Voters Statistics,
1985 , 1996 , 2001 , 2004-2006
Box 2
File 5: "Redistricting-League of Women Voters of Virginia 2005,"
1982 , 1984 , 2001 , 2004-2006
Box 2
File 6: "League of Women Voters of Virginia Campaign Reform and June '93 Statement,"
1985 , 1988-1994 , 1997 , 1998
Box 2
File 7: League of Women Voters of Virginia Materials on Virginia Taxes,
1976-1978
Box 2
File 8: League of Women Voters of Arlington, Study of Programs, Services, and Facilities of Arlington County Department of Parks,
Recreation, and Community Resources,
1999-2000
Box 3
File 9: Histories of Virginia, Northern Virginia, and Virginia League of Women Voters by the Arlington League of Women Voters,
1953 , 1960 , 1982 , 1983
Box 3
File 10: "League of Women Voters of Virginia History,"
1969 , 1977 , 1982-1984 , 1995
Box 3
File 11: Women's Rights and Equal Rights Amendment,
1987 , 1991
Box 3
File 12: "Ms. Jean McCart, League of Women Voters, Virginia Women's Cultural History Project,"
1983-1985
Box 3
File 13: "Arlington League of Women Voters Articles of Interest, Historical, etc" Initiatives on League of Women Voters Bilingual Education
Position and Housing Position,
1996 , 1999
Box 3
File 14: "League of Women Voters-Adult Education in Arlington County-Effective Citizenship,"
1972 , 1977 , 1996
Box 3
File 15: League of Women Voters of Virginia Education Study,
2003
File 1: Rock Spring Congregational Church Booklets ( Mature Faith, Dinosaurs at Easter and Other Sermons, Jubilee Notes and Reflections: Celebrating 75 Years, and Making History:
Celebrating 75 Years ),
1978 , 1987 , 2001